Method and means for constructing tunnel stations



April 14, 1931. 1,800,819

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTING TUNNEL STATIONS F. DONALDSONJ 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 30. 1930 a m H N illwlll lbil N INVENTOR.

ATT RNEY April 14, 1931. F. DONALDSON 1,800,319

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTING TUNNEL STATIONS Filed June 50, 1930 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR A ril 14, 1931. F. DONALDSON METHOD AND MEANSFOR CONSTRUCTING TUNNEL STATIONS Filed June 30, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVE OR ,April 14, 1931. F. DONALDSON 1,800,819

METHOD AND MEANS FOR CONSTRUCTING TUNNEL STATIONS Filed June 30, 1930 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Jma,

IN VENT OR A ORNE Y Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEFRANCIS nonnLnsoiv, or Yonxnnsnnw YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IO Mascara HANGER GOM-PANSLINCL, on NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or WEST VIRGINIA METHOD ANDMEANS FOR GONS'I'RUC'IING TUNNEL STATIOlN'S Application filed June 30,

In the construction of subaqueous or other shield-driven railroadtunnels, particularly for subways, it is usually advisable to constructastation not far from the edge of the river or at least in the softground portions of the tunnel. Such tunnels are ordinarily composed oftwo independent parallel cast-ironlined tubes driven with shields undercompressed air. Stations such as those referred to are customarily builtby the removal, segment by segment, of the adjacent portions of thecast-iron lining of the two tubes and the piecemeal construction ofapassageway between thein thatwill serve as an island station. Suchconstruction has proven diflicult, dangerous and exceedingly slow.

On account of the difliculties previously experienced, I have devised animproved method of and means for constructing a station or enlargementin soft ground between parallel tubes previously driven. Among theobjects of this invention are to expedite very greatly the constructionof such stations, to reduce the cost of such work materially, and toprevent settlement of the surface and consequent disturbance ofsuperincumbent structures or public utility facilities beneath thesurface of the ground.

My invention consists of the driving of a new tunnel arch between thetubes, prefera bly by the tunnel platemethod, thehaunches of said archbeing supported upon the shells of the two tubes and the shells of thetubes being in turn supported interiorlyby upright timbers or othertemporary struts or supports, so as to permit the subsequent re moval ofthe portions of these shells adjacent to one another. The timnel platesare supported immediately after placing by archrings made of structuralmembers, and, during the subsequent excavation and construction of theinterior portions of the station,

these arclrrings act as true arches and their end reactions aretransmitted through the tube linings to the timbers or internal supportshereinbefore mentioned. It is, of course, necessary subsequently toremove these timbers, and the overlying loads carried by the arch mustthen be transmitted through suitable structurable members to a 1930.Serial no. 464,746;

new floor slab directly beneath the arch. The top portions of thearch-rings are therefore preferably constructed so as to serve as beamsor girdersafter the loads are transferred to the permanent structure andthrough it to the between thetubes is removed to a level approximatelythat of the bottom ofthe tubes and aconcrete or other foundation slab isplaced-L Thelinings of both original tu'bes between the foot of the archand the top of the new floor slab are removed, horizontal struts beingsupplied as required to take care ofthe lateral pressure of the earthoutside of the tubes. The permanent structural framework of the stationis constructed in the open space beneath the arch, but the finalclosures between thisstructural framework and the bow strings andbetweenthe framework and tunnel linings are not made at this time.Suitable jacking means are provided between the structural framework ofthe station and roof of thestation tunnel, the fra1nework is stressed toa degree determined in accordance withthe expected final load, and whilethis stress is maintained the closures referred to are made.

In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof p Fig. l is a verticallongitudinal section of a. station in course of construction, includinga completed portion, intermediate portions being broken out to economizespace on the drawing;

Figs. 27 are sections taken on correspondingsection lines of Fig. 1.illustrating different steps or stages in the method; and

lVhile the steps of constructing the station are successive, it will beunderstood that they progress simultaneously at difi'erent points alonthe length of the station location, as indicated in Fig. 1. e

At the head end of the work,- anarched top heading 26 is driven, thistop heading being supported promptlyas it is advanced, by means of knownpressed steel tunnel plates 6, which are temporarily braced by trenchjacks or the like 7 Following thereafter, curved structural members 8,preferably of channel section, having chord members '9, are placedbeneath the tunnel plates on temporary supports 10, and are wedged upagainst the plates. The trench jacks are removed, and lowercurvedchannel members 11 are placed between the ends of the members 8 andlongitudinal sills 12 resting on the tubeshells, and are wedged tight..The members 8, 11 then constitutearch-rings-or arch-ribs which carrythe over lying earth load andthe loadcof any superimposed structures,and. apply their endre actions to the tunnel shells,which in turn aresupported internally by the struts 3. The temporary posts'can then beremoved.

I The upper bench being then excavated,

transverse track sills 13 may be laid, these track sills being usefulalso for transverse bracing. The lower bench is excavated,and theconcrete 1 1 is placed on the sub-grade.

.At this stage the segments of the inner or adjacent portions of thetunnel'shellsare removed. p p

The permanent structural steel workfof the station, including, forexample, uprights 15, lower transverse members 16, upper transversegirders 17 and longitudinal girders 18, is erected on thefloor slab. Theconcrete of the platfor'm'is'poured up to the top of the transversechannels16.

Temporary longitudinal girder beams19 hydraulic jacks 20 and posts 21are interposed between these temporary girders and the ends of thebow-string trusses. The jacks are then actuated to impose on theframework of the station a downward stress closely approximating theeXpected'final loading of the station. Then, and not until then, the

final closures are made between the archesand the framework of thestation, and likemode 19 wise between this structure and the shells V ofthe tubes.

The closure between the framework and the bow-string trusses forming theroof beams is formed by placing the concrete 23 of the upper ormezzanine part of the structure. The closures between the framework andthe tube shells consist of special castings 24: and 25 wedged betweenthe tube segments and the framework.

Finally, the bracings in tlie'tubes are removed and the concretinginsidethe tubes completed;

Certain of the tunnel plates are provided with openings through whichgrout is pumped outside of the lining in the first instance, and inorder to have the metal of the station roofsurrounded on all sides by:con-:

crete, concrete blocks 22 ma be interposed between the tunnelplatesantthearch-rings.

' While the preferred mode ofexecution has been described in somedetail, 'itwill be understood that theprocedure and the elements whichenteriinto it may be, modified Within the scope of the inventionasqdefined-in the claims Iclaim:

1. In the construction of a station or en-a largement in tunnel between,twopreviously driven j tunnel tubes, the excavation of said station orenlargement under the protection" of' arch-rin s bearing upon the top ofthe shells of the tubes, the shells in'turn being supported by temporarystruts within the tubes. V i A 2. A method of constructing-a stationbetween two previously driven tunnel tubes, which comprises tunnelingthe station-under the protection of arches, causing said arches to bearupon the tops of the shells 'of' the tubes, and supporting the shells inturn by temporary internal struts, thereafter taking out the adjacentportions of the shells, constructing the interior of the station, andeventually transferring the reaction of the load overlying thestationfrom the tube shells to; the permanent. structure directly IOUthe protection of arch-rings which are placed to bear upon the tops ofthe shells of the tubes while the shells are supported in turn 1 I v bytemporary internal struts,the,top porare placed on the transversegirders 17, and

tions of said arch-rings being adapted. to serve eventually as roofbeams, removing the adjacent portions of the tube shells,constructing apermanent framework inthestationens largement, connecting said beamswith said enlargement in tunnel between two prelying load which theycarry is transferred from the tube shells.

A method of constructing a station be tween two previously driven tunneltubes, which comprises placing temporary supports in the interior of thetube shells, tunneling between and above the tubes, progressivelyplacing plates and arch rings to carry the overlying load and applyingthe end reactions of said rings tothe tops of the tube shells,completing the excavation for the station under the protection of saidrings, laying a floor slab, removing the inner sections of the tubeshells down to the floor slab, constructing the station structure onsaid floor slab, and eventually transferring the reaction of the load onthe top portions of the arch-rings from the tube shells to said stationstructure.

6. A method of constructing a station between two previously driventunnel tubes, which comprises placing temporary supports in the interiorof the tube shells, driving an arch tunnel between and above the shells,placing arches to carry the overlying load and to apply their endreactions to the tops of the tube shells, completing the excavation forthe station under the protection of said arches, removing the adjacentportions of the tube shells, constructing a foundation and a permanentstation structure in the excavation thus protected, stressing thestation structure to a degree corresponding to its expected final loadby jacking between the structure and the arches, and making a closurebetween the station structure and the arches while this stress ismaintained.

7. A method of constructing a station between two previously driventunnel tubes, which comprises tunneling the station under the protectionof arches, causing said arches to bear upon the tops of the shells ofthe tubes, and supporting the shells in turn by temporary internalstruts, thereafter taking out the adjacent portions of the shells,laying a foundation for the station at the bottom of the excavationbetween the tubes, erecting a permanent framework thereon, stressingsaid framework to a degree correspond ing to the expected final load,and while said stress is maintained making closures between theframework of the station and the arches.

8. Amethod of constructing a station between two previously driventunnel tubes, which comprises tunneling thestation under the protectionof arches, causing-said arches to bear upon the tops of the shells ofthe tubes, and supporting the shells in turn by temporary internalstruts, thereafter taking out the adjacent portions of the shells,laying a foundation for the station at the bottom of the excavationbetween the tubes, erecting a permanent framework thereon, stressingsaid framework to a degree corresponding to the expected final load, andwhile said stress is maintained making closures between the framework ofthe stationand the arches and between the framework and the shells ofthe tubes.

9. In the construction of an islandstation in soft ground, thecombination with two previously driven tunnel tubes, of temporarysupports in said tubes, tunnel plates and archrings carrying the loadoverlying an arch tunnel driven between and above said tubes, the endsof said arch-rings bearing on the tops ofthetube shells so as totransmit the roof load to the temporary supports within the tubes, andthe top portions of the arch rings being constructed so as to form roofbeams of the station. a

10. In the construction of an island station in soft ground, thecombination with two previously driven tunnel tubes, of temporarysupports in said tubes, tunnel plates and arch-rings carrying the loadoverlying an arch tunnel driven between and above said tubes, the endsof said arch-rings bearing on the tops of the tube shells so as totransmit the roof load to the temporary supports within the tubes, andthe top portions of the arch rings being constructed so as to form roofbeamsof the station, andmeans for relieving the supports within thetubes of the roof load and transferring it to a permanent structuralframework resting upon foundations between the tubes.

FRANCIS DONALDSON.

